Couples Counselor In Chicago, IL- Sarah Malavenda
She/Her/Hers
LSW

I am open to new clients at this time.

I am a collaborative, non-judgemental therapist whose goal is to work together to find the healing process that works best for you. I use a trauma-informed, sex-positive, kink-positive, and neurodiversity-affirming lens in my work with individuals, couples, and families.

In my work with individuals, I support those looking to address anxiety, stress management, trauma, gender, sexuality, and sex. As someone who lives with a chronic illness, I also love helping folks wherever they are in their journey of managing chronic illness and understand the complexities of navigating the healthcare system.

In my work with couples, I work with folks looking for support with relationship issues within monogamous and consensually non-monogamous relationships. Often, this includes improving communication, reducing conflict, and addressing sexual discrepancies. I’m also passionate about meeting the unique needs of neurodiverse and LGBTQ+ couples.

I strongly believe that the therapeutic relationship is an essential component of therapy, so I offer an approach based on trust and respect while bringing my genuine & authentic self to sessions. With this, I strive to support my clients so they don’t feel alone when things get messy, nor when they need a bit of humor and lightness to brighten their day.

If you’d like to learn more about myself or therapy generally, I’m happy to hop on a quick call to share more information!

I am a collaborative, non-judgemental therapist whose goal is to work together to find the healing process that works best for you. I use a trauma-informed, sex-positive, kink-positive, and neurodiversity-affirming lens in my work with individuals, couples, and families.

In my work with individuals, I support those looking to address anxiety, stress management, trauma, gender, sexuality, and sex. As someone who lives with a chronic illness, I also love helping folks wherever they are in their journey of managing chronic illness and understand the complexities of navigating the healthcare system.

In my work with couples, I work with folks looking for support with relationship issues within monogamous and consensually non-monogamous relationships. Often, this includes improving communication, reducing conflict, and addressing sexual discrepancies. I’m also passionate about meeting the unique needs of neurodiverse and LGBTQ+ couples.

I strongly believe that the therapeutic relationship is an essential component of therapy, so I offer an approach based on trust and respect while bringing my genuine & authentic self to sessions. With this, I strive to support my clients so they don’t feel alone when things get messy, nor when they need a bit of humor and lightness to brighten their day.

If you’d like to learn more about myself or therapy generally, I’m happy to hop on a quick call to share more information!

Clients I Work With

Individuals 13+, Couples, Families, Groups

Areas of Focus

• ADHD/ADD
• Anger Management
• Anxiety
• Autism
• Bipolar Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Chronic Pain/Illness
• Depression or other difficulties with mood
• Dissociation
• Gender Identity
• Grief
• Harm Reduction
• Kink/BDSM
• LGBTQ+
• Neurodiversity
• OCD
• Perinatal/Prenatal
• Personality Disorders
• Polyamorous/Alternative Relationships
• Religious Trauma
• Self-Injury
• Sexual Identity
• Sexual Issues
• Sexual or Other Physical Abuse/Assault Perpetrators
• Sexual or Other Physical Abuse/Assault Victims
• Substance Use
• Suicidal Ideation
• Transgender
• Trauma/PTSD

Types of Therapy

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Gottman Method Relationship Therapy
Mindfulness Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Sex Therapy

Insurance & Payments

I am in-network with BCBS (PPO, Blue Choice PPO, & Blue Choice Options) and Aetna (PPO, POS, Choice, & CVS Health HMO). For out-of-network insurance, I can provide you with superbills to get reimbursed by your insurance company. I can take self-pay and/or sliding scale clients.